Shoreline Erosion Loan Program
Shoreline Erosion Loan Program supports communities and property owners with nature-based living shoreline design and implementation to protect Maryland waterfront property and enhance wildlife habitat.
Funder: Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Due Dates: November 15, 2026 (Technical assistance/site visit requests) | December 11, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST (Applications, rolling through this date)
Funding Amounts: $1,000,000 available; zero-interest loans with 5–20-year terms and a nominal administrative fee
Summary: Supports nature-based living shoreline projects that protect waterfront property and enhance wildlife habitat along actively eroding Maryland waterways.
Key Information: A site visit with Watershed & Climate Services is required before submitting an application.
Description
The Shoreline Erosion Loan Program provides technical and financial assistance for nature-based living shoreline projects that protect waterfront property and enhance wildlife habitat. Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Watershed & Climate Services (WCS), administers the program through the Shoreline Erosion Control Revolving Loan Fund. Funding can support project design and implementation, but not structural shoreline protection such as bulkheads, revetments, or seawalls.
The program serves local governments, nonprofit organizations, communities, and private property owners with projects on Maryland waterways experiencing active erosion. It builds on Maryland’s Shoreline Conservation Service, established in 1964 to address shoreline and erosion problems along the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Within DNR’s Grants Gateway, the program combines waterfront protection with habitat enhancement and support for healthy, resilient ecosystems and communities.
